Adjustable self-resetting timer



United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 200-35 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An adjustalble self-resetting timer having a two-position switch operated by a switch actuator which, in turn, is operated upon by two stops on a time scale driven by the motor of the timer, one of the stops being adjustable relative to the time scale.

The present invention relates to an adjustable self-resetting timer, and this application is a division of our copending application Ser. No. 521,202, led J an. l?, 1966, and now abandoned.

An important object of the invention is to provide an adjustable self-resetting timer having an adjustable stop means movable relative to the time scale to facilitate adjusting the setting of the timer.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an adjustable timer which includes: a base; a two-position switch mounted on the base and having means for biasing itself to one of its positions; an actuator pivotally mounted on the base for movement between inoperative and operative positions; means on the actuator for moving the switch to its other position upon pivotal movement of the actuator into its operative position; a shaft rotatalbly mounted on the base adjacent the actuator; a motor mounted on the base and connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft in one direction; spring means connected to the shaft for rotating the shaft in the opposite direction; a time scale fixedly connected to the shaft so as to be rotatable therewith; rst stop means carried by the shaft adjacent the time scale for pivoting the actuator into its inoperative position in response to rotation of the shaft in said opposite direction by the spring means; second stop means carried by the shaft adjacent the time scale for pivoting the actuator into its operative position, to move the switch into its other position, in response to rotation of the shaft in said one direction by the motor; one of the stop means being angularly adjustable relative to the shaft and the time scale; and means for adjusting the position of the adjustable stop means relative to the time scale.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable timer of the character set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein the rst stop means comprises a tab on the time scale and engageable with the actuator, and wherein the second stop means comprises an arm angularly adjustable relative to the time scale and engageable with the actuator.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the timer art, may be achieved with the exemplary embodiments of the invention described in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are plan views of an adjustable selfresetting timer of the invention showing parts thereof in diiferent positions;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view taken as indicated by the arrows 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, partially in section and partially in elevation, taken as indicated by the arrowed line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the arrowed line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view similar to FIG. 1, but showing another timer of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, partially in section and partially in elevation, taken generally along the arrowed line 7-7 of FIG. 6 of the drawing.

In the drawing, the timer of the invention is designated generally by the numeral 106 and is shown as comprising a mounting base 134 carrying a motor 122 and the two-position switch 124, the latter being a conventional two-position microswitch which is normally biased into a rst position and which is displaceable into its other or second position by an actuator 136 pivotally mounted on the base 134, by a pivot 138, adjacent the switch. The actuator 136 is pivotable between an inoperative position, shown in FIG. l, and an operative position, shown in FIG. 2. When the actuator 136 is in its operative position, a tab 140 thereon engages the operator 142 of the switch 124 to move the switch into its second position. As previously suggested, when the actuator 136 is in its inoperative position, the switch 124 automatically returns to its first position.

The motor 122, through a gear train 143, drives an output shaft 144 located adjacent the actuator 136 and having its axis parallel to the axis of the pivot 138. The shaft 144 has a bushing 146 thereon which is secured to the shaft by a set screw 148 threaded through a collar 130 forming part of the bushing. The motor 122 drives the shaft and bushing 144 and 146 in the clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. l and 2. A spiral spring 152 biases the shaft 144 and bushing 146 in the counterclockwise direction, such spring encircling the bushing and having its inner end suitably secured thereto. The outer end of the spiral spring 152 is secured to a pin 154 on the base 134.

Considering now only FIGS. l to 5, secured to the upper end of the bushing 146 by a set screw 158 is a collar member having at its upper end an annular ange 162 provided with a time scale 164 thereon. A portion of the periphery of the annular flange 162 is bent downwardly to provide a tab 166 engageable with a tab 168 on the actuator 136 to pivot the actuator into its inoperative position, shown in FIG. l, under the influence of the action of the spring 152. An eye 169 on an arm 170 overlying the time scale 164 is secured to the upper end of the bushing 146 by a screw 172 threaded into such bushing, the arm being locked in its angularly adjusted position by a lock washer 174 clamped between the eye and the .member 160 by the screw 172. The arm 170 projects radially outwardly beyond the periphery of the annular flange 162 and terminates in a depending tab 176 which is engageable with the tab 168 on the actuator 136, upon clockwise rotation of the shaft 144 by the motor 122, to pivot the actuator into its operative position, shown in FIG. 2, to position the switch 124 in its second position.

Considering the operation of the timer 106 as thus far described, when the timer is energized by the push button switch 58, the motor 122 drives the member 160 in the clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 2, until the tab 176 on the arm 170 pivots the actuator 136 into its operative position, shown in FIG. 6, to shift the switch 124 into its second position. When this occurs, the motor 122 is de-energized, whereupon the spring 152 rotates the member 160 in the counterclockwise direction so that the tab 166 on the annular llange 162 of the member 160 restores the actuator to its inoperative position, as shown in FIG. 1. Counterclockwise movement of the member 160 and the actuator 136 beyond the positions shown in FIG. l is prevented by engagement ofa portion 178 of the .actuator with the bushing 146 on the shaft 144.

It will be apparent that the length of time the motor 122 runs in shifting the member 160 and the actuator 136 from the positions of FIG. l to the positions of FIG. 2 depends on the lposition of the arm 170 relative to the, tab 166. The angular position of the arm 170 may be adjusted readily to vary this time interval by loosening the screw 172, shifting the arm 170 into the desired position, and re-tightening the screw 172. Thus, the position of the arm 170 can be set very readily relative to the desired time scale 164 to select a time interval. With the time scale 164 to refer to, adjusting the timer 106 becomes a simple operation, which is an important feature of the invention.

Considering FIGS. 6 and 7 in more detail, the timer 106 is illustrated therein as equipped with an alternative adjusting means. More particularly, in the construction shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a cup-shaped member 180 is provided having an internal annular ilange 182 staked to the bushing 146 below the upper end thereof and seated on the collar 150. The cup member 180 also includes at its upper end an external annular flange 184 having a time scale 186 thereon. This external ange 184 has a downwardly struck tab 188 engageable Awith the actuator tab 168 to pivot the actuator 136 into its inoperative position under the impetus of the spring 152.

Telescoped over the upper end of the bushing 146, within the cup member 180, is a collar 190 carrying an arm 192 having at its outer end a ydepending tab 194 for engagement with the actuator tab 168 to -pivot the ac-` tuator 136 into its operative position under the impetus of the motor 122. The arm 192 is angularly adjustable relative to the time scale 186 in the same manner as the arm 170 is angularly adjustable relative to the time scale 164. More particularly, the arm 192 is secured in its angularly adjusted position by a screw 196 extending through a washer 198 seated on the collar 190 and threaded into the upper end of the bushing 146. The desired adjustment of the angular position of the arm 192 is maintained by a lock washer 200 disposed between the lower end of the collar 190 and the internal annular flange 182 on the cup member 180.

The operation of the adjusting means illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings is substantially the same as that of the adjusting means shown in FIGS. l to 5. Consequently, a further description is unnecessary.

Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein for Ipurposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: .1. Inan adjustable timer, the combination of:

(a) a base;

(b) a two-position switch mounted on said base and having means for biasing itself to one of its positions;

(c) an actuator pivotally mounted on said base for movement between inoperative and operative positions;

(d) means on said actuator for moving said switch to its other position upon pivotal movement of said I actuator into its operative position;

(e) a shaft rotatably mounted on said base adjacent said actuator;

(f) a motor mounted on said base and connected to said shaft for rotating said shaft in one direction;

(g) spring means connected to said shaft for rotating said shaft in the opposite direction;

v (h) a time scale iixedly connected to Said shaft so as to be rotatable therewith;

(i) rst stop means connected to said shaft adjacent said time scale for pivoting said actuator into its inoperative position in response lto rotation of said shaft in said opposite direction by said spring means;

(j) second stop means carried by said shaft adjacent said time scale for pivoting said actuator into said operative position, to move said switch into its other position, in response to rotation of said shaft in said one direction by said motor;

(k) one of said stop means being adjustable relative to said shaft and saidv time scale;

(l) means for adjusting the position of said adjustable stop means relative to said time scale; and

(m) said first and second stop means and said time scale being superimposed and simultaneously visible to facilitate adjusting said adjustable stop means.

2. A timer according to claim 1 wherein said rst stop means comprises a tab on said time scale and engageable with said actuator, and wherein said second stop means comprises an arm overlying and adjustable relative to said time scale and engageable with said actuator.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS HERMAN O. JONES, Primary Examiner P0'1050 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Parent No- 3,495,053 Dated Februar-yin. 1970 Inventods) Scott E. Allen and William H. Nicola It :ls certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 2, line 64 "Figs. 5" should be Fgs. 1;

(page 20, line 18 amendment dated 3/21/69) line 66 "Fig, 6" should be Fg. 2-;

(page 20, line 20 amendment dated 3/21/69) Col. 3, line 46- delete "of the drawngs";

(page 22, line 23 amendment dated 3/21/69).

SIGNED AND SEALED JUL? Bl) (SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Comissione'r of Patents 

